Biblical Retirement: Preparing for a Christian's Retirement (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781503021464)

Born and raised in the small town of Galena, MO, Dr. Richard Baker accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior at the age of 10 and later received the call to preach and was licensed to preach at age 21. Richard pursued his bachelor's degree at College of the Ozarks in Pt. Lookout, MO, where he met and married his wife. After finishing college he began a successful career as a loan officer and financial advisor for a nationwide bank. Two years into his budding career, Richard was called into full-time ministry and the Lord sent him to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO, where he earned a Master's of Divinity degree and later a Doctor of Ministry degree with a dissertation topic of "Biblical Retirement". Richard and Sara became North American Missionaries for the Southern Baptist Convention and the Lord led them to plant a church in Nixa, MO. The Bridge Church became the fastest growing Baptist church in Missouri during its first two years. This earned Richard Lifeway's "Pastoral Leadership Award" in 2003. Richard has a gift for preaching and teaching the Word with clarity and illustrations that set him apart as an evangelist. Richard is sought after to help struggling churches through interim pastoring, consulting, and leadership. When the Lord called Richard out of full-time ministry and back into the business world, Richard again became a financial advisor. He currently uses his varied experience to serve his clients in Springfield, MO, specializing in retirement planning and implementation. Richard holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 66 securities registrations. These licenses allow him to work with both businesses and individuals. He manages a multi-million dollar practice that consists mainly of Christian businessmen and women, Christian colleges, and retirees. Dr. Richard Baker serves area churches as interim pastor and is a member of Second Baptist Church, Springfield, MO. Richard is a great speaker and is well-known for his Christian Financial Seminars, which he presents at churches or civic groups. Richard serves on the President's Council for College of the Ozarks, Board of Trustees for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and as Vice President of Alongside Education Ministries. In his free time, Richard enjoys teaching pastor schools around the world and has been involved in over 30 international mission trips. Richard is married to Sara and they live in Nixa, MO with their daughter and son.